JUNOS Enterprise Routing

What Is Multicast?

Multicast defines the concept of a one-to-many communications stream. To a casual observer, multicast is similar to broadcast in that a single copy of a packet can be received by multiple nodes—however, multicast is not dependent on an underlying multiaccess medium. It can operate network-wide (unlike broadcast traffic that is not forwarded by routers), and is associated with protocols that attempt to automatically tune the network to eliminate unnecessary transport and delivery of multicast traffic.

Routers use multicast routing protocols to control the forwarding of multicast traffic to prevent loops and avoid inefficiencies associated with having multiple copies of a given packet transmitted over the same link multiple times. Multicast group membership protocols are used by hosts to express interest in one or more multicast groups—multicast traffic is not forwarded over an interface with attached hosts unless at least one host has explicitly requested the receipt of multicast traffic.

When all goes to plan, the presence of multicast traffic is noted only by those nodes that have expressed interest in that particular stream, which is in marked contrast to a link-level broadcast that forces reception of the packet by all nodes on that link. In summary, broadcast is one-to-all with a link-level scope, whereas multicast is one-to-many, network-wide, but only when there is express interest in receiving multicast.

The sources and destinations of multicast content ...